Below ground swimming pools are common around the world. Many pools include light fixtures in the walls of the pool to illuminate the pool for varying purposes. In some cases, pool owners want to make the pool visible at night or other dark conditions for pool occupants. In other cases, the light fixtures are an aesthetic tool to create a unique pool experience, e.g. changing the light colors and timing.
Historically, incandescent bulbs were used in underwater light fixtures. However, the recent trend has shifted focus to light emitting diode (LED) light fixtures or luminaries. LED bulbs emit less heat from traditional incandescent or florescent bulbs. Light fixtures installed underwater for pools or other enclosed applications generate heat when they are powered on. The heat build up degrades the performance of the light fixture and causes the light fixture, or LED, to be replaced at a higher frequency. Given the submerged nature of pool light fixtures, this can be a costly and timely endeavor.
Although pools include water, it is difficult to use the pool water to transfer the heat generated by a luminary away from the luminary given the inherent conflict between water and electricity. State, federal, and international authorities have strict regulations on the interaction of water (or other conducting liquids) and electricity. With the submerged nature of light fixtures, absent use of the pool water on the exterior of the fixture lens, using the pool water to internally dissipate the heat generated from a LED or other light source has not been preferred.
The heat generated by the enclosed luminaries limits the power of the LED or similar light source. If the heat generated within the luminary enclosure was dissipated faster and more efficiently, the life of the LED could be increased and/or more powerful LED lights could be used.
As can be derived from the variety of devices and methods directed at enclosed light fixtures, many means have been contemplated to accomplish the desired end. Heretofore, tradeoffs between light fixture structure and heat generated were required. Thus, there is a long-felt need for a luminary wherein the heat generation from the light source is dissipated. There is a further long-felt need for an LED luminary wherein the heat is dissipated from the light source. There is also a long-felt need for a mechanism to dissipate the heat using a liquid source to move the heat from the LED luminary.